India may have registered a 3-0 clean sweep against New Zealand in the recently-concluded bilateral T20I series on Sunday but there are still issues that need to be dealt with. According to former Black Caps captain Daniel Vettori, star India batter Rishabh Pant’s form with the bat has set the alarm bells ringing.
Wicketkeeper Pant has been in poor form with the bat of late. He scored four runs in the 3rd T20I at Eden Garden, Kolkata, before registering scores of 17* and 12* in the first two T20Is in Jaipur and Ranchi, respectively.
While speaking to ESPNCricinfo, former left-arm spinner Vettori said that Pant’s unclear about his approach and that there is “no flow to his game.”
“He hasn’t got his tempo right in T20 cricket. He hasn’t quite understood his role, particularly in this series. Sometimes he is overly cautious, then he is reckless. It doesn’t feel like there is a flow to his game. When you see great T20 batters batting well, it is all about flow and momentum and you just feel a rhythm to it. He hasn’t quite got that yet,” said Vettori.
The legendary Kiwis player also added that it is now upto Pant to redeem himself before India turn to Ishan Kishan, who has been in better touch with the bat throughout this T20 cricket season.
“I will be surprised if they (team management) don’t talk long and hard about what they expect from him. But, the onus is on Pant to find that right tempo. The reality is, if he doesn’t, they can look elsewhere. They have Ishan Kishan and KL can keep wickets as well in T20. They will give Pant the opportunity to find his rhythm, knowing that they can change pretty quick as well,” concluded Vettori.
